We’re big advocates of agile working principles and agile frameworks here at RoS, such as scrum, Kanban and eXtreme Programming (XP).
In our recent blog ‘An Intro to Scrum’, we looked at how using scrum ceremonies, such as sprints and retrospectives has helped drive forward the development process for one of our most important upcoming services, ScotLIS. Here, we’ll delve deeper into the agile methodologies that drive forward scrum, and as a result much of the work we do.
It’s all about teamwork
Collaboration is key to successful agile delivery. To drive this approach forward, the team must agree on the method behind the work. These are called working agreements, or team norms – they act as guidelines, and are universally devised by the team to define how they’ll work together to ensure a positive and productive process.
At first glance, these behaviours may seem pretty straightforward, and almost second nature. For example, they can be as basic as agreeing to full and equal participation in team meetings. It’s important to define these, however, as they might not always be first nature in a team workplace setting.
A one-team culture
By defining these principles at the very beginning of the project and continually improving as the service is evolving, the work of the group is rooted in a shared responsibility that empowers the team to effectively manage the workload and delivery throughout the lifecycle. The team is continually focussed on delivering value little and often to obtain fast feedback from customers/users. They are committed to always delivering quality, from the outset.
It is important that all team members buy into the agile ways of working and principles. Team members have the flexibility to be creative, as well as fully supported by everyone involved, so that everyone is in it together.
No two agile teams are alike, so there’s a variety of rules and approaches – teams should pick the ones that fits the task at hand. There are some central themes, however, that provide a good starting place. Equal contribution is vital – many teams thrive when everyone is pulling their weight, and feels empowered to make suggestions, even if it might be in an area that isn’t necessarily their expertise. Emphasising positive teamwork is another common ground, as teams should feel confident to solve roadblocks within the team wherever possible.
Projects both big and small can often seem daunting at first. From objectives to key performance indicators and workflow, there’s a lot to consider. RoS’ digital transformation is no different, but thanks to an agile approach underpinning the project work we do, we’re working in a positive environment that empowers our teams to produce outstanding work and, ultimately, a high quality final product which delivers value to our customers.
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